The Must Read Triathlon Guide

Tag: newbie rider

Irrespective of how you ride, your race goals or your bike type, I am sure you‘re always looking to learn and improve, ride faster and train harder and what better than a few hacks from the experts themselves isn’t it? So next time you’re in the saddle here is 5 tips you need to keep in mind.

End it well

How many times have you seen riders speed off through the blocks and fade midway through? Well, the winner is the guy that ends on a high rather than begins at the top so whether you’re training or its race day always finish well.

This will also increase efficiency and make you mentally and physically tougher as you’d be training out of your comfort zone i.e. with tired and sore muscles. You’d also burn fat better which will boost your overall performance.

Eat light at night

Unless a serious case of sleepwalking there’s more likely no physical activity expected at night and thus eating a stomach full before bed is usually considered as overeating by experts. Yes, you don’t want to be starving either but leaving a little room is desirable as it helps control weight which often is quite tough for athletes.

Going to bed hungry is great for weight loss but that isn’t the aim either. Maintaining the right weight is the goal so skip the last pizza slice or chicken piece today at dinner.

Keep it steady

Most of your training should focus on riding at a particular speed. This will help you develop a strong base which in turn boosts fat burning and strengthens muscles more efficiently. You’d also learn to pace yourself better, a handy trick for your next race.

Ensure this speed is neither too easy nor too tough but rather a steady pace at which you can have a conversation without going breathless but yet feel tired by the end of it.

Keep negativity out

Have you ever had that feeling where your legs seem to get heavy, your stomach growls but you aren’t hungry or the heart’s pounding against your chest? Happens even to the best before a race but it’s just a feeling that shall pass 5-10 minutes into the race.

Avoid getting bogged down by such negative thoughts. Getting across the finish line is all that should be on your mind.

Take rest seriously

While logging the miles on the bike is important most pros also spend quite a chunk of time off it too. Training daily can be stressful. Apart from that, there is also the day to day rigor we all must endure and take time off is the best way to detox the stress.

It will refresh you both physically and mentally. Not taking these breaks can often result in an overload which reduces recovery period that in turn tends to mess up the training and overall performance.